AC-T investigates why decent pay and housing are elusive in Asheville

Asheville Citizen-Times

By John Boyle

In this scenic mountain town, where land is limited and wages lag behind other areas, everyone seems to have a story about the great quest for affordable housing.

Nearly one-half of all renters in Asheville and just under 40 percent of homeowners fell under the category of “cost-burdened,” which are those paying more than 30 percent of income for a place to live, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures for a five-year span ending in 2013.